Food safety depatment issues notice to 17 shops in Dehradun

72 samples were collected from Dehradun last year, out of which 24 were identified flouting food safety norms and all of those shops were prosecuted.DEHRADUN: The food safety department in the run-up to Diwali has started inspecting various shops in the city to ensure that basic guidelines are being followed to maintain hygiene and standards of edible products being sold in various shops across the state.

In the course of these inspections, 17 major shops of the city were found to be flouting norms and were issued notices on Friday citing unhygienic condition and substandard quality of their products.

“Those found guilty will be penalized on the spot and a legal action will also be taken against them in the court,” said Anoj Kumar Thapliyal, district food safety officer, Dehradun.

Meanwhile, a few shopkeepers complained to the district magistrate claiming that they are being ‘unnecessarily harassed’ by the food enforcement team in the guise of conducting quality checks.

During the festive season, incidents of adulteration increase every year. Last year, around 72 samples were collected from Dehradun out of which 24 were identified flouting food safety norms and all of those shops were prosecuted.

The department has decided to take instant samples and send it for testing to Chandigarh in order to get results as soon as possible and curb adulteration during festive season.